


there's a man on the platform (screaming about the apocalypse)

by potato_writes



Series: a series of imperceptible shifts [2]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Angst, F/M, discussion of death but no actual death, once again I have no explanation for this it just exists, these tags make even less sense than this story does, vaguely sci fi vaguely post apocalyptic setting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:08:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27533542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/potato_writes/pseuds/potato_writes
Summary: He’s not there when his home world falls, but he’s not surprised to hear the news.or, Jaime tries to find hope in the wake of destruction.
Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth
Series: a series of imperceptible shifts [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2012446
Comments: 6
Kudos: 30





	there's a man on the platform (screaming about the apocalypse)

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to part 2 of the most confusing thing you may ever read in your life! I have no idea what this is either! I may or may not be slightly feverish right now, so proceed at your own risk! 
> 
> title from ghost quartet once again, which might be the most sensible thing about this fic? which is pretty ridiculous, because it's ghost quartet.

He’s not there when his home world falls, but he’s not surprised to hear the news.

It’s been coming for a long time, and he’s been warning them for just as long, but no one ever heeded him but her, and with any luck she is long gone by now, fled when he sent the final, desperate warning in hopes of saving somebody, _anybody_. The oh-so-righteous leaders did not listen, though, and now he has one less world to watch over, one less veil to cross now that the place he once called home has been reduced to ash and dust.

He does not miss it, for it was not a home to him at all in the last years before he was sent to the veil, but he mourns all the same, for the millions upon millions of innocents dead, for the places he once loved so much, even for the proud young rulers who could not see past their own principles until it was far too late.

And her, he mourns most of all.

He has not heard of her for ages; his brother never spoke of her in his rare correspondence, and he demanded she not contact him before they took him away, terrified of the fate that might befall her, the lover of the worst man to ever walk his home world. It is for her sake that he did not fight his sentence, knowing there was nothing he could do to save her should the court that sentenced him decide she too must pay the price for his crimes.

But he hopes, oh, how he hopes. His pleas were broadcast across his home world, mocked and derided and laughed at by the populace, famed as the words of a madman trying to lead them all into ruin with some foolish ploy. She knows, though, she knows him better than that, and there is a chance, however slight, that she might have fled before the darkness came crashing in and all his worst fears were proven true.

There is no proof, no reason to believe she survived when so many others did not, but he has to hope, or there is no reason left for him to live.

With those who judged him guilty gone, there is no reason for him to linger at the veil between worlds, but he does so anyways. Now, he has become a protector only, his time invading and slaughtering left in the past with the rubble of the life he left behind. The people of the worlds flock to his side, slowly at first, then quicker and quicker as the darkness advances still further and more and more worlds fall prey to its wrath.

They do not know his name, not really, and he does not give it to them, not to the warriors who demand the title of their chosen leader and comrade, not to those who flirt and tease him in hopes of luring him to their beds, not to any but her, and she is long gone, just another part of the past he cannot afford to linger on. Nothing will sway him but her return to his side so they can lead together, as they should have long ago.

Maybe if they’d been allowed to do so, the darkness would not have come so quick and furious. 

He is not arrogant enough to think his fate is enough to change the course of history, not anymore. That man died when they took his hand and his family and the woman he loves more than his own life from him and called it justice, called it mercy.

Someday, though, he hopes he will be fortunate enough to find her again. And if not, well, he will see her in death, and only when that day comes will he truly be happy again.


End file.
